Ignition Optional?

A few weeks back I was struggling to climb to 15k after an awful take off. I later noticed I hadn't flipped the ignition on.

I was pretty shocked I could start and run the engine that way. Could you do this in real life?

During that bumpy takeoff, your knee flopped the ignition switch... ;)

A few weeks back I was struggling to climb to 15k after an awful take off. I later noticed I hadn't flipped the ignition on.

 

I was pretty shocked I could start and run the engine that way. Could you do this in real life?

maby you run single magneto ??

engine is not able to run with both magnetos off

btw you didnt do engine run up before take off ??

I'll try stating again tonight with no ignition.

Yep, sounds like it was on a single magneto, engine will not fire if both are off.

Yup, can still take off without it. Just need to put fuel booster on and keep the starter switch up. That intended?

Nope, and confirmed, holding starter switch, which does provide INITIAL ignition, does work to keep it working. It is just not intended to KEEP it running. What should happen is failure of the starter after keeping it on continuously.

In the actual aircraft, it is a spring loaded switch. You would need to continuously hold it on, something no pilot would ever do. On the computer controls, one could set it up as a toggle and that allows this to occur. For accuracy, it should be setup like the spring loaded switch and it will quickly remind you to turn on your magnetos.

You're not touching the magneto at all and it starts?

You're not touching the magneto at all and it starts?

Just tested this myself, and yes, the starter is providing ignition (Which, come to think of it, it should not be, at first I thought it did). Pretty sure it should only be turning the engine over, and only the magnetos can provide ignition.

Ah, ok, thanks Yo Yo, that explains it.

What about the consequences of keeping the starter on full time? No damage/failure of the starter/booster coil?

Yep, sounds like it was on a single magneto, engine will not fire if both are off.

Interesting stuff.

Must be a bug then

It would be a bug that you can keep the starter on continuously. The starter's Booster Coil, as pointed out by Yo-Yo, provides the initial ignition that I mentioned in a previous post. Again, this is not intended to be on full time, that is why you switch on the magnetos which will provide full ignition capabilities and provide full power rather than the limited ignition and resulting lessor power from the booster coil.

yo-yo alredy posted that starter button is linked with booster coil so whne you press started in p-51 you provide electricity to booster coil wich provide energy to ignition system. Becouse at low rpm magnetos do almost nothing and magnetos are not enough to start engine.

for example in spitfire you have to push starter and booster coild buttons to start.

you can probably fly only on booster coil but i dont think so that booster is designed for continous operation and i think that in DCS booster coil overheating isnt modeled.

but one thing bugs me aboput this booster coil in p-51 its kinda dangerous just bypassing ignition system and linking it with starter button even if you want crank engine dry you are risking ignition

i totaly agree for booster coil existence but why magnetos switch off position not cuting off booster coil too ?? probably word safty didnt existed when this was designed

where in spit pilot had to intentionaly engage booster coil and this is enough safty granted but p-51 looks wierd here

How do you hold the starter on all the time? It's spring loaded.

How do you hold the starter on all the time? It's spring loaded.

If set to a joystick switch that is NOT spring loaded, it can be set on pretty easily, But this is a configuration choice.

Still curious about the lack of consequences for keeping the starter on indefinitely.

I should have thought of that. I use one of the spring loaded toggles on the Warthog throttle for the starter.

I should have thought of that. I use one of the spring loaded toggles on the Warthog throttle for the starter.

i use 2 of them its engine ignition :) one for starter another one for primer its very convinient cos both are next to eachother

Yup, and feels more real than using the mouse.